Nadger's Customized Plum 96

[Nadger]

I recently purchased a Plum96 White with Cherry Red Switches for $99 shipped.  I didn't quite like the look of just solid white, it was too much and too boring so I swapped out the keycaps with what I've got lying around. 
Before:


Here is how it turned out after a few different color combination tests.

Overall I'm extremely happy with the board.  I like it much better than my choc mini with browns.  If i get adventurous I may attempt to mod the board and install LEDs as it already has mounts and wiring for them.

After





Heres a micro review:

Board Flex: Extremely solid for a PCB mounted board.
Keycap Quality: Very nice feel to the PBT plastic keycaps, the lettering is laser etched so it will never wear off.
Keyboard Slide: Very nice grip, does not slide what so ever on my desk.  Thick rubber pads on the bottom ensure this, the feet themselves have rubberized coating as well.
Keyboard Layout: This is the whole reason i bought this board.  Its perfect for me.  When numpad mode is off its layout is exactly like a normal tenkeyless.  When its on its exactly like a numpad minus the fact there is a 00 button as well as a 0 button.  It accomplishes this while maintaining a compact layout.  Below are pictures comparing its size to a Noppoo Choc Mini.
Keyboard Features: I wont be going over these in this review, there are other reviews out there that have done a better job on that than I could do.
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175410

Instead, here are more pictures:

^--Size comparison to the Noppoo Choc Mini.  Its basically 3 key columns wider.

^--Some keys have LEDs built into them for toggleable modes, this esc key has one for the bluetooth sync light.

^--Most of the keys are fairly standard sized and standard mounting/stabilizers except the spacebar which uses its own unique stabilizer.

^--Nice later etched PBT Keycaps.  Good solid white color, no yellowing.

Keycaps are nick and thick and provide a pleasent clack sound when bottomed out.

^--Wired mode cable is deatchable and can be routed left, right or center.  Also take note of the thick rubber pads on the base of the keyboard.  To use bluetooth mode you have to undo all of those screws you see to add or change the battery.  Stupid, but it does not affect me as I do not use the bluetooth option.

^--Rubberized Feet are effective at preventing sliding

^--Contents of a zip baggy it comes with.

Let me know what you think!

[tp4tissue]

Good stuff Nads'

retro-clash

[PointyFox]

How's it look with all Round 3 keycaps?

[samwisekoi]

Nice board and review, thanks for sharing!

What are the spacebar stabs like?  Do they prevent the use of aftermarket spacebars?  Can you take a pic or two?

 - Ron I samwisekoi

[lightsout714]

I didn't like the layout at first glance but your right it looks like best of both world's still keeping the numpad.

[jabar]

Have you looked into backlighting? Supposedly the PLUM 96 allows for addition of LEDs, not sure how documented the process is/how the LEDs would be controlled. I do want a PLUM 96 though.

e: read your post, durr. If you make a walkthrough of the process that would be awesome.

[SpAmRaY]

Nice write up! Care to share where you purchased? I'm considering getting one myself.

[Nadger]

How's it look with all Round 3 keycaps?

I never ended up putting all of them on, I had them on my choc mini for the last year or so and felt like a change.  Im sure 3-6 months from now I'll end up swapping them all over onto it.  But just juding from when i had all the numbers as round 3 grey it looked pretty good.  Not quite as sharp as the white though.

I didn't like the layout at first glance but your right it looks like best of both world's still keeping the numpad.

Yes I've been toggling back and forth between it.  There is a bit of a learning curve there where you go to type in numbers and realize numlock isnt on or vice versa.  I may end up removing the dark grey keycap for numlock and putting on the stock one so it has the LED window so its easlier to tell.  99% of the time i leave numlock off as I tend to use the edit cluster a lot more.

Nice board and review, thanks for sharing!

What are the spacebar stabs like?  Do they prevent the use of aftermarket spacebars?  Can you take a pic or two?

 - Ron I samwisekoi

I didnt take a picture of the spacebar tabs.  Should have, but someone else has I'll link to it here:

Have you looked into backlighting? Supposedly the PLUM 96 allows for addition of LEDs, not sure how documented the process is/how the LEDs would be controlled. I do want a PLUM 96 though.

e: read your post, durr. If you make a walkthrough of the process that would be awesome.

Yeah I'm interested in backlighting it but before I can do that I would like to look into getting a set of keycaps that are designed with backlighting in mind.  I can see where the LED fits into a socket but I have yet to take apart the board to see how the solder points are set up and if it looks easy.  If I do decide to tackle that I'll write up a guide documenting it.

Nice write up! Care to share where you purchased? I'm considering getting one myself.

Purchased from here: http://www.offerany.com/p-18340544429-%E2%98%85-genuine-PLUM-96-PBT-POM-dual-mode-mechanical-keyboard-CHERRY-original-axis.html

[PointyFox]

How's it look with all Round 3 keycaps?

I never ended up putting all of them on, I had them on my choc mini for the last year or so and felt like a change.  Im sure 3-6 months from now I'll end up swapping them all over onto it.  But just juding from when i had all the numbers as round 3 grey it looked pretty good.  Not quite as sharp as the white though.

I didn't like the layout at first glance but your right it looks like best of both world's still keeping the numpad.

Yes I've been toggling back and forth between it.  There is a bit of a learning curve there where you go to type in numbers and realize numlock isnt on or vice versa.  I may end up removing the dark grey keycap for numlock and putting on the stock one so it has the LED window so its easlier to tell.  99% of the time i leave numlock off as I tend to use the edit cluster a lot more.

Nice board and review, thanks for sharing!

What are the spacebar stabs like?  Do they prevent the use of aftermarket spacebars?  Can you take a pic or two?

 - Ron I samwisekoi

I didnt take a picture of the spacebar tabs.  Should have, but someone else has I'll link to it here:

Show Image

Have you looked into backlighting? Supposedly the PLUM 96 allows for addition of LEDs, not sure how documented the process is/how the LEDs would be controlled. I do want a PLUM 96 though.

e: read your post, durr. If you make a walkthrough of the process that would be awesome.

Yeah I'm interested in backlighting it but before I can do that I would like to look into getting a set of keycaps that are designed with backlighting in mind.  I can see where the LED fits into a socket but I have yet to take apart the board to see how the solder points are set up and if it looks easy.  If I do decide to tackle that I'll write up a guide documenting it.

Nice write up! Care to share where you purchased? I'm considering getting one myself.

Purchased from here: http://www.offerany.com/p-18340544429-%E2%98%85-genuine-PLUM-96-PBT-POM-dual-mode-mechanical-keyboard-CHERRY-original-axis.html

I need a translator.  What's the difference between "mainstream" and "licensed","shaft" and "axis", and "wireless" and "radio"?

[jabar]

Those are common translations of the Chinese within. Axis, shaft refers to the color switch (tea axis = MX Brown). And this is a Bluetooth board.

[wetto]

Those are common translations of the Chinese within. Axis, shaft refers to the color switch (tea axis = MX Brown). And this is a Bluetooth board.

I wonder if it works with Smartphones and tablets too.. 

[PointyFox]

So, they're using a bunch of words interchangeably.  Does "licensed" mean "mainstream"?

[jabar]

So, they're using a bunch of words interchangeably.  Does "licensed" mean "mainstream"?

The agent website used a raw Google Translate to filter the original Chinese page.

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.25.HsThot&id=18340544429

Mainstream white = white PBT
licensed black = black POM

it's probably some sort of color name they used that got screwed up in translation.

[PointyFox]

So, they're using a bunch of words interchangeably.  Does "licensed" mean "mainstream"?

The agent website used a raw Google Translate to filter the original Chinese page.

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.25.HsThot&id=18340544429

Mainstream white = white PBT
licensed black = black POM

it's probably some sort of color name they used that got screwed up in translation.

Is color for the board or the keycaps?

[SpAmRaY]

So, they're using a bunch of words interchangeably.  Does "licensed" mean "mainstream"?

The agent website used a raw Google Translate to filter the original Chinese page.

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.25.HsThot&id=18340544429

Mainstream white = white PBT
licensed black = black POM

it's probably some sort of color name they used that got screwed up in translation.

Is color for the board or the keycaps?

I'm pretty sure key cap and board color are the same, ex. White = white board and caps, same for Black. It is both.

[Nadger]

White red axis = white board, red switch
black tea shaft = Black board, brown switch
black black shaft = black board, black switch
white green axis = white board, blue switch
etc

mainstream and licenced are the same...interchangeable
axis and shaft are the same meaning switch

wired and wireless i can only assume means it has bluetooth built in or not.  both can run wired.

[samwisekoi]

Those are Cherry stabs everywhere. Stem spacing on the spacebar might be special, however. IvanIvananovich should know...

You can see which items are wired or wireless by the prices. Select anything but the first two (black or blue switch) and the price jumps up $50 USD.

For the numlock keycap, try keycapsdirect.com and take a look at transparent colored keycaps. That should work pretty well if the LED is not super bright.

Also, Qtan might be able to get these as well.


 - Ron I samwisekoi

[Binge]

That was my picture of a black plum 96 on Techpowerup!  The space bar has shorter stab spacing than a standard costar spacebar.  WASD spacebars are not compatible.

In case anyone is wondering IMSTO sells these and they're about $80-90 shipped.

[SpAmRaY]

Those are Cherry stabs everywhere. Stem spacing on the spacebar might be special, however. IvanIvananovich should know...

You can see which items are wired or wireless by the prices. Select anything but the first two (black or blue switch) and the price jumps up $50 USD.

For the numlock keycap, try keycapsdirect.com and take a look at transparent colored keycaps. That should work pretty well if the LED is not super bright.

Also, Qtan might be able to get these as well.


 - Ron I samwisekoi

That was my picture of a black plum 96 on Techpowerup!  The space bar has shorter stab spacing than a standard costar spacebar.  WASD spacebars are not compatible.

In case anyone is wondering IMSTO sells these and they're about $80-90 shipped.

I know I've contacted both qtan and imsto in the past about the plum96 and both told me it was not available anymore 

[dadgh]

I'd snag one of these if it were TKL. Are there any PCB mounted TKLs out there even?

[jabar]

I'd snag one of these if it were TKL. Are there any PCB mounted TKLs out there even?

It's practically TKL, just 1 key width wider. What's the problem with that?

[dadgh]

I'd snag one of these if it were TKL. Are there any PCB mounted TKLs out there even?

It's practically TKL, just 1 key width wider. What's the problem with that?

All of my keycap sets are for TKL only. I don't have any sort of Tenkey.

[Grimey]

Those are Cherry stabs everywhere. Stem spacing on the spacebar might be special, however. IvanIvananovich should know...

 - Ron I samwisekoi

I have one of the first generations of this and the spacebar is Leo500 spaced, which means that the normal aftermarket Filco/Ducky/etc. spacebars will not work.  I ground mine myself and replaced the stems in my CCnG http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=36034.msg673461#msg673461

[SpAmRaY]

Those are Cherry stabs everywhere. Stem spacing on the spacebar might be special, however. IvanIvananovich should know...

 - Ron I samwisekoi

I have one of the first generations of this and the spacebar is Leo500 spaced, which means that the normal aftermarket Filco/Ducky/etc. spacebars will not work.  I ground mine myself and replaced the stems in my CCnG http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=36034.msg673461#msg673461

Thank you so much for sharing this!!